Facilitator

Scribe

Timekeeper

Opening Remarks

We're here to do two things: receive the Financial and Staff reports, and elect a Board of Directors.

The Agenda is on one of your handouts, with time allotted for questions.

Michele is timekeeper, Adrian is scribe, and myself and Michael D will be co-facilitators.

Explanation of Consensus and Voting

Michael D: Consensus is about tackling problems while receiving as much input as possible. It's a goal, not necessarily the result or process. We've moved away from 100% model to 75% super majority model. It's about even participation.

Trial of Macintosh OSX on Apple products starting May 22 2015. Very successful: in all of 2014 up to May 20 2015, sold 26 Apple Laptops and Mac Minis. From May 22 to date, we sold 35. And that's not counting IMacs.

Implementation of volunteer sign-in/sign-out system

Security Improvements

Security cameras in store, production areas, laptop build.

Lock down of remote access privileges to our servers. Admin access restricted to Tyler, Adrian, and Michele, with special access to specific areas for Karen, Treasurer and Secretary.

Lock down of access to Admin computer.

Administration

New key policy. Key inventory up to date, new sign-in and out sheet.

Office improvements: staff area: donated lunch table, chairs, fridge.

Donated file cabinet for securing sensitive documents.

Desktop Build

The Production Department has had great success in partnering with non-profit organizations, such as YMCA and Vancouver Community Network, who send us practicum students at little to no cost. These students are assets to the Production Department, as they can handle especially complex tasks and boost output significantly. We continue to nurture our relationships with these organizations and students continue to be sent to us.

Production has also experienced increased numbers of regular volunteer builders who have also boosted output.

The build area has been improved to increase availability and accessibility of parts, tools, and peripherals.

Build documentation has been improved to aid volunteer training.

Since the last AGM, 48 hardware grants have been disbursed to needy individuals and organizations. This amounts to 472 pieces of hardware including desktops, laptops, monitors, and other peripherals.

Since a year ago, specs of donated and built desktops have steadily improved. A year ago, i3, i5, i7 systems were rare with only one system built every 1-2 months. Currently, Production builds i-series desktops almost every week.

Since a year ago, specs of "adoption boxes" that volunteers earn after 24 hours have also improved. Boxes with Core 2 Duo 8000 series CPUs are now available.

Since a year ago, the use of DDR1 RAM, IDE hard drives, and 32-bit CPUs in desktop builds has dropped dramatically. Currently, they're used only in the odd "vintage" system.

For the past few months, Production has experimented with installing OS X on Macs. Installing OS X as opposed to Linux on Macs has greatly enhanced the efficiency of the build process and means more systems can be successfully refurbished.

Materials Recycling

Started a fast-track path for volunteers with high tech skills to get into desktop and laptop build quickly.

Created a permanent evaluation station area.

Evaluation sheets condensed to bare essentials.

Began “antique” evaluation, keeping and selling more antique hardware and games.

Laptop Build

Donation quality is up: more Core i3 and i5 machines, even some quad cores.

These figures are all monthly averages. Donations are up by 5%, production by 16%, wholesale by 100%. Hardware Grants have stayed the same. Our re-use rate is up, from 38% to 44%. Our return rate is down from 3.5% to 2%.

Receiving and Shipping

Have shipped as many shipments to Hallmark as of today as all of last year, with expectations for at least one more.

Recycling cellphones to same supplier as inkjet and toner cartridges. Cellphones pay at 50 cents for a dumb phone, any condition, $5 for a smartphone, any condition. And they pay the freight.

Thrift Store

October: began 90 day hardware warranty (laptop batteries excluded)

New procedure for wholesalers – they deal with Michael or Robert, fill out an item list, and Michele prices it. Saves Michele's time.

New paper scheduling system to streamline volunteers' toolbox checkout

End of year holiday party, December 2014, and Hot Dog Day, May 2015. Both awesome.

Volunteers are getting a weekly volunteer appreciation treat, usually baked goods, usually Saturdays.

Created a new volunteer position, Cleaner, which is rewarded double-hours with a $10 store gift certificate for each hour worked. We have received many compliments, especially from previous volunteers, on how much cleaner and nicer the place looks.

New builders recruited for desktop build area.

Found interns from CDI for desktop build and laptop build.

Community relations events: Telus “give where you live” volunteer crews on three days, and Samsung employees for two days.

VSB field trip where students came to Free Geek for a day and volunteered for an afternoon shift.

Received two Certificates of Appreciation, from Douglas College and VSB.

Received flowers from our contact at CDI.

Questions

Jodi (interpreted by Kricket): (to Mike F) Why did you lock down the servers when people had access prior?

Mike F: Because there was an incident

Kricket: (to Mike F) Why didn't you follow policies and bring this to the membership?

Mike F: Security is not a membership issue, it's a staff issue

Michael: This is a question period, not a debate

Jodi (interpreted by Kricket): I had all the rights to be there

Nigel: This incident happened over 5 weeks ago, seems moot to bring it up at AGM

Jodi accessed a folder she doesn't normally have access to, changed the permissions so she could access the information

I received a report from the IT Coordinator who detailed breach and said that Jodi didn't need to have access

Jodi says she had access regardless

Jodi: I'm an IT person and I won't have anyone say I broke any laws

Slander

Michael D: We should move on to the next topic

(to Jodi) We've heard your opinion

Jodi: Slander, slander, slander

Michael D: This is an AGM, this is an issue among directors

If you're not going to treat us (Nigel and Michael D) as facilitators, this meeting may as well not happen

Any more questions?

Karen: Robert since joining staff part-time has logged over 900 hours of volunteering

Michael D: Has the addition of another staff helped?

Mike F: The difference is like night and day

It's relieved a lot of burden

The staff are happier and more productive

Jeff: You better watch it, you're going to get your asses in a sling with labour relations

If there's a complaint, the employment standards branch will convert those hours

Mike F: We checked this

Jeff: This is a bad practice

How many volunteers do we have?

Michele: Active or overall?

Overall, about 7300

In 2014 we had 700 new volunteers

Jeff: How many members?

Michael G: Trevor, the secretary has a list of members

Kricket: We gave people 2 days warning to get voting rights

Is that right?

That's seriously flawed

Jeff: What's happening with charity status?

Nigel: It's in progress

Have been working with our lawyer, but time has been diverted to other issues

Nigel: I don't have those emails in front of me; I don't know what you're referring to.

Kricket: We have a staff member that makes volunteers feel intimidated

We have a volunteer list of people complaining about staff member who is rude and nobody wants to work with

You've gotten personal emails from status people stating this many different situations that have happened

Why haven't you done anything about this?

Nigel: In the last year, I have not received those emails

Kricket: I can prove that. I should have brought them.

Jodi: Email

Nigel: You are both directors, you share the same responsibility as me, and it takes the AGM to bring up this?

Kricket: I have taken procedures

You have failed

If I show you these emails will you fix the problem?

Nigel: I don't know what problem you're talking about

Kricket: Thank you. Enough said.

Jeff: (to Chenessa) You actually don't have any HR experience?

Chenessa: Graduated from UBC in Marketing and HR

Volunteers in recruitment for BC Marketing Agency

In university, worked as student advisor, did recruitment, training

Kricket: (to Chenessa) Are you able to help contain a heated discussion? Do you have the ability to monitor and facilitate people that are at odds?

Chenessa: Facilitator is a separate position

As HR lead, if there is a staff issue and there's heated discussion, I can be facilitator for that

Kricket: There was a staff heated discussion in regards to a director

That worries me

Chenessa: That is a separate position

Facilitator is a different position

Kricket: So, we need to actually add another position

Michael G: There is a lead facilitator and an assistant lead facilitator

Kricket: That's not doing any help

We need an HR facilitator

Nigel: HR facilitating is not the same thing

Jodi: If there are directors breaking the law...

Michael G: Is this question directed at someone?

Jodi: No

Michael D: We're over time for questions and answers

We're in the voting period

Voting

Nigel: Free Geek Voting:

If there is more than one candidate for a positing, we vote by name or Abstain. The candidates will leave the room. The facilitator will call each name and members will display their cards for the name of their choice when called. Votes for each candidate will be counted.

If there is only one candidate for the position the candidate for the position will leave the room and the members will display their cards for the member. They can vote Yes, No, or Abstain. No votes and Yes votes will be counted. If the candidate has more than 75% of the vote, then they are elected.

For example John Smith for treasurer. 13 people are present for the vote. 10 vote Yes, 2 note No and one Abstains. John has 10/12 of the vote (or 83%) and is elected tot he position.

If after an hour no candidate reaches a majority via the consensus model, we will go to a simple majority vote.

Free Geek is obliged to fulfill only these 3 positions under the BC Societies Act.

Lead Facilitator (President), Treasurer, and Secretary

Other positions for the board are listed below and we do not have to fill all these at the AGM: